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This writer was on his way to his place of work on the 29th of June when he laid his eyes on a concourse of anxious faces desperately waiting to gain entry into of one of the branches of Guaranty Trust Bank like lions waiting to garrote a game. Being a customer of GTB, he initially waved it aside as one of those bureaucratic hitches associated with the bank. This writer had barely gone half a kilometre farther when he beheld a more threatening throng standing within the perimeters of First Bank as if it wanted to stage a day-long protest. It was at this juncture that this writer stitched the vignettes together and latched onto the inkling of familiarity between the two scenes. It finally dawned on this writer that virtually all banks had been besieged with a similar assemblage for reasons that were still sketchy though.
Upon getting to the office, the reason behind the odd gathering was disclosed to this writer and he could not help but to wonder why Nigerians have this penchant for the eleventh-hour rush. It took this writer barely fifteen minutes before he obtained his bank verification number (BVN) from the same bank renowned for usually experiencing a throng of customers in a normal business working day.
As a people, we seem to be so inured to the herd mentality to such an extent that we get unnecessarily complacent with issues that should generate little or no fuss. This writer learnt what the ‘Nigerian time’ meant right from his salad days as a kid. There was this aunt of his who always chided his parents for not sticking to time whenever they promised to pay her a visit. Suppose they promised to stop over at her place around 11 a.m., they wouldn’t show up until say two hours behind schedule. The visits had no formalities attached so the show of displeasure was usually on a very light note. It had no penalty attached so as a Nigerian born and bred in Nigeria, this writer equally inherited certain traits of the ‘Nigerian time’.
The eleventh-hour rush seems to be an inevitable routine among Nigerians. It is quite ‘Nigerian’ in nature to slate an event for 4 p.m. in the evening and then keep guests waiting for an hour before commencement. While you think the administrative lapses are on your path, your invited guests are likely to also discountenance the time which the event is billed to take place on account of the supposition that you would not start at that time. Thus, it becomes a situation of both parties being complacent with the idea of sticking to time.
It is ‘Nigerian’ to start conferences, birthdays, marriage ceremonies, etc behind schedule and also ‘Nigerian’ for attendants to anticipate the time lapse; thus gracing the event at the wrong time. It was the same ‘Nigerian' nature that led to the eleventh-hour rush for the permanent voters card (PVC) even though, the electoral commission also had its fair share of lapses.
This writer was at sea as to whether it was necessary for him to carry out a post-mortem on what could have led to the eleventh-hour rush for the bank verification number (BVN) before it was postponed. A number of those erring bank customers who this writer spoke with claimed that they were not informed all along while some admitted that their business schedule was the major hindrance. Some nevertheless claimed that on the few occasions they thought of giving it a shot, they often felt disillusioned with the long process. Others noted that they never gave it a thought all along until they were told that it would close very soon. Inasmuch as this writer would not want to be critical of any of these groups of people, it is however obvious that those who seem to be at ease adopting the ‘Pharisee attitude’ are the ones who claim to know nothing about it and those who complained of the long duration. Lest this writer forgets, it is also ‘Nigerian’ in nature to give excuses for being a party to the herd mentality.
Now that the lifeline has been extended, this writer would simply not be surprised if there are still erring customers come October 31. One of the motorcyclists whom this writer spoke with said he could not imagine spending hours again at the banking hall while his motorcycle was lying fallow. When asked if he would still do it, he claimed that the time span for the registration was now more than enough. Even a relative of this writer echoed similar sentiments, saying she would now go for the registration at her own convenience.
Like this writer noted, it is simply ‘Nigerian' in nature to get complacent with issues that should generate little or no fuss. Come 31st of October don’t be surprised if many are still found wanting and then putting the blame on other circumstances apart from themselves. Will Nigerians ever be rid of the eleventh-hour rush?
